Shock absorber



May 29, 1923.

A. c. REE

SHOCK ABSORBER Filed A'Dril 13 1920 Patented May 2 9, I 1923.

UNHT I: T

ALBERT C. REE, O1 LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

Application filed April 13, 1920. Serial No. 373,835.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ausnn'r C. REE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Libertyville, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock Absorbers;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

This invention relates to shock-absorbers, particularly of the type usedin automobiles or the like having spring suspension.

The object of the invention is to rovide a shock-absorber,that willpermit'the ody of the vehicle to descend freely to a certain distance,but to check the return movement of the same thereby avoiding thebreaking of the vehicle spring or springs at the time when the greatestliability of such breakage occurs.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby movement,of certain parts of the shock-absorber toward each other are severelyrestrained during the latter art of a long movement, and yetunrestrained on the first part of such movement, as well as on shortmovements.

In the drawings 2- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of ashock-absorber, embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, showing a. planview of the piston head.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a hollow cylindricalcontainer hearing a closed head 2 and a detachable en 3.

Within the container 1 is a piston 4 which is detachabl extendingthrough a suitable stufiing box in the detachable end 3 of thecontainer.

The container is filled with air and a light non-congealable oil or itsequivalent in such proportions that the volume of air therein is equalto the displacement of the piston and piston rod when in the top of thecontainer.

The container and piston are adapted to be connected to the frame andaxle, respectively, of an automobile or the like by any suitable means.

The piston 4 is provided with one or more fluid passages 6 extendingtherethrough which are enlarged at their lower ends to accommodatesuitable check valves 7, opening when the piston moves in an upward pathand closing when the piston moves in a connected to the piston rod 5,

downward path. Also, extending through the piston is one or more fluidby-passes 8, which are opened at all periods of operation, with theexception of the period hereinafter described.

Supported from the head 2 of the container and within same, is the plate9, which is designed to close the openings 6 and 8 in the piston whenthe piston has moved in a suitable distance toward the container head.

The plate 9 is resiliently supported from the container head by an.expansion spring 10, one end ofwhich engages the bent up fingers 11 ofthe plate 9 and the other end encircles the narrow neck of thedownwardly projecting stud 12, made integral with the container head.

Assuming the parts to be in position as shown in Figure 1, and a shortmovement of the body takes place, causing the piston to move toward thecontainer head when this movement takes place, the valves 7 open,allowing the fluid to pass through the passages 6, thus permitting thepiston to move unrestrained. When the reaction of the vehicle springstakes place, the valves in the piston automatically close, holding thevehicle springs, in suspension, but allowing them to gradually reachtheir normal position as the fluid flows past the piston through thebypasses 8.

When a long movement occurs, the piston moves the same as it did'in theshort movement, but in this instance it continues unrestrained in itsmovement until it strikes the plate 9, which closes all passages withinthe piston. Furthermovement of the piston compresses the air within thecontainer, thereby reducing the shock, and at the same time severelyrestraining its movement. When reaction of the vehicle springs takesplace the action is the same as described in the short movement.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have shown and describedone specific form of my invention, but it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to the precise details of construction, asmodifications and variations may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

fluid passages, means for closing certain of container head, and saidlate adapted to said passages on the down stroke of the pisclose allpassages within t e iston on the ton, a plate suspended within saidcontainer extended upward movement 0 the same. and provided withintegral fingers engaging In testimony that I claim the foregoin I 5 itssu porting means, said means comprising have hereunto set my hand atLlbertyyi e, a. ooi ed spring the other end of winch e 1n the county ofLake and State of Illinois. gages a projection formed integral with theALBERT C. REE.

